Hong Kong People Oppose Returning Snowden to U.S., Poll Shows

[steve2470]

Source: Bloomberg

Hong Kong residents would oppose any demand for extradition of Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who fled to the city after exposing a U.S. surveillance program, according to a poll published today.

Almost 50 percent of 509 respondents oppose or strongly oppose returning Snowden should the U.S. make a formal request, showed a survey commissioned by the Sunday edition of the South China Morning Post, and carried out by the Centre for Communication and Public Opinion Survey at Chinese University.

Waving banners calling for the protection of free speech, and chanting slogans such as “NSA has no say,” about 200 protesters yesterday marched to the U.S. consulate and the Hong Kong government headquarters, demanding city leaders protect the one-time Central Intelligence Agency technical assistant.

“People will not be very happy if all the decisions are made by Beijing,” said Willy Wo-lap Lam, an adjunct professor of history at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “It’s being seen as a highly symbolic case whereby Hong Kong should be able to make up its own mind regarding whether to surrender or extradite Snowden back to the U.S.”

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-16/hong-kong-people-oppose-returning-snowden-to-u-s-poll-shows.html

[Bolo Boffin]

1. This is what I thought Snowden was doing.

It's not so much that he's a "Chinese agent," but that he's willing to reveal enough information about US hacking of the Chinese government to make him a cause celebre in Hong Kong. By endearing himself to the people of Hong Kong, he's hoping to play them against any Chinese and/or US efforts to extradite him.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

2. Ummm. . .wrong. The Chinese people? Hong Kong is Hong Kong. Mainland is Mainland

Hong Kong has its own laws, government, currency and system. The only thing the mainland does with HKG is collect money and protect it from attack.

The "Chinese" effort to extradite him? Again, it would be a HKG effort. Please get your facts right.

And before you tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. . .I live on the Mainland in Suzhou.

[Bolo Boffin]

3. Def Con level down, person.

My point is Snowden is using those divisions to protect himself.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

4. I said that a few days ago too

[PatrynXX]

9. facts straight?

Hong Kong is china now has for over a decade ruled by China . Some laws stayed others didn't , but thats what everything that used to say Made in Hong Kong now say Made In China. this Chinese people is factually correct

[Nanjing to Seoul]

10. Cultural, Hong Kong is not considered part of China by Mainlanders

And to get there, they need a passport and go through customs.

So, again, before you tell me things, understand I live in China.

[Kolesar]

5. In his next act, Snowden can expose China's wiretapping and spying on the rest of the world!

[Daniel537]

6. Yes, because the Chinese would give him access to all that information.

Stop trying to be cute with your Obama worship. The mask has already been taken off of your little god. The "moral high ground" bullshit doesn't work anymore.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. And how about you stop trying to be cute with hyperbole

about so-called "Obama worship". It's a tiresome childish dismissive term that some DUers have suddenly embraced to mask an inability to debate when they devolve into their tin foil hat temper-tantrums.

[Kolesar]

8. Watching these adult-aged children is truly cringeworthy

like Daniel

[okaawhatever]

11. Agreed. Another newbie. Troll maybe? nt